Best in Hood
Menu
CitiesGuidesSubmit your businessReviews processAboutContact

5 Best Sushi in Sydney (2026)

Independently ranked by our review of ratings, reviews and reputation · How we chose

Thorne Savarin
By Thorne Savarin, Culinary Explorer · ✓ Data verified July 2026 · 8 min read

Search best sushi in Sydney and Google hands you a mixed bag: a Japanese steakhouse with a sake list, a global ramen chain, a rooftop bar, a donburi specialist, and one more general Japanese restaurant. Between them they've logged 7,683 Google reviews and every rating sits between 4.3 and 4.9, but only one of them names sushi directly on its own site. Here's what each one is actually good for.

Short answer: Aori Restaurant leads with a 4.9 average across 1,752 reviews and is the only business here whose own site explicitly names sushi as part of the menu, alongside a woodfired grill and sake list. Ramen IPPUDO carries the deepest review count at 2,263, though it's a ramen chain first, sushi rolls are a side item. None of the five are pure sushi specialists, so check the current menu before you go if sushi specifically is what you're after.
Jump to a business

What actually shows up when you search sushi in Sydney

# Business Rating Reviews Best for
1 AORI RESTAURANT 4.9 ★ 1,752 Closest genuine sushi match View ›
2 Ramen IPPUDO Westfield Sydney 4.3 ★ 2,263 Ramen first, sushi roll on the side View ›
3 Jōji Sydney 4.6 ★ 1,254 Rooftop Japanese-inspired dining and cocktails View ›
4 Dopa Donburi and Dessert - Regent Place 4.5 ★ 1,271 Rice bowls, not sushi View ›
5 UMAYA World Square 4.5 ★ 1,143 General contemporary Japanese menu View ›
5 Best Sushi in Sydney (2026)

The five restaurants, honestly assessed

AORI RESTAURANT logo
#1 Overall🕑 Open 6 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

AORI RESTAURANT

4.91,752 Google reviews

AORI runs a Japanese dining destination on King Street Wharf, built around a custom woodfired grill, sushi, and an extensive sake list, according to its own site, alongside table-side theatrics and DJ nights on weekends. It's the one restaurant on this list whose own marketing names sushi directly rather than treating it as an afterthought, though the format leans toward a broader izakaya and grill menu with sushi as one part of a larger spread.

What people praise

  • Reviewers repeatedly praise the balance and preparation across multiple dishes, not just one standout
  • Named staff get credit for making birthday and anniversary celebrations feel personal
  • The waterfront setting and weekend DJ nights are called out as a genuine draw beyond the food
  • The express lunch menu is praised specifically for value

Worth knowing

  • Worth knowing: reviewer-reported spend runs from around $40 for lunch to $200-plus for dinner, so pricing varies a lot by time of day
Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney
Rating4.9 / 5
Review volume1,752 · 93th
Confidencevery high
Recency3 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown94% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: It's the only business here whose own site actually names sushi as part of the menu, which is why it leads this list despite not being a dedicated sushi bar.

Website+61280042155 Directions

39 Lime St, Sydney NSW 2000

Ramen IPPUDO Westfield Sydney logo
#2🕑 Open 7 days

Ramen IPPUDO Westfield Sydney

4.32,263 Google reviews

Ramen IPPUDO is the Sydney outpost of the global Japanese ramen chain, inside Westfield Sydney on Pitt Street. The menu centers on ramen bowls, takoyaki, karaage, and rice bowls; sushi shows up as a side item, like the Seared Salmon Sushi Roll one reviewer specifically mentions ordering twice. If sushi is what you're after, this is a ramen restaurant that happens to have a roll on the menu, not the other way around.

What people praise

  • The Seared Salmon Sushi Roll is specifically praised by name in multiple reviews
  • Consistent quality noted across a large review base
  • Good-value lunch menu called out by several reviewers
  • Fast, friendly service even during peak lunch rush

Worth knowing

  • Worth knowing: reviewers note ramen prices run higher than expected for the format, and waits build up during peak lunch and dinner
Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney
Rating4.3 / 5
Review volume2,263 · 98th
Confidencehigh
Recency3 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown57% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: It carries the deepest review count on this list, 2,263, but it's worth knowing upfront that IPPUDO is a ramen destination first, with sushi as a side note.

Website+61280787020 Directions

Shop 5021/188 Pitt St, Sydney NSW 2000

Jōji Sydney logo
#3🕑 Open 6 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Jōji Sydney

4.61,254 Google reviews

Jōji runs a rooftop Japanese-inspired restaurant and bar on George Street, built around shared plates, cocktails, and DJ-driven nights rather than a sushi menu specifically. Reviews describe dishes like beef tartare, spatchcock, tempura prawns, and sashimi alongside the cocktail list, reading closer to a Japanese-inspired lounge than a sushi restaurant, sushi itself isn't named directly in the site's own description.

What people praise

  • Reviewers describe the sashimi as fresh and generously portioned
  • Staff repeatedly praised for small, thoughtful touches like birthday candles
  • The setting and cocktail menu are called out as a genuine highlight
  • Willing to accommodate dietary requests, per one detailed review

Worth knowing

  • Worth knowing: reviewer-reported spend runs toward the premium end, often $140 to $200-plus per person
  • One reviewer notes the venue isn't actually a rooftop despite the branding, confirm the space before booking for a view
Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney
Rating4.6 / 5
Review volume1,254 · 83th
Confidencevery high
Recency7 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown82% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: This is a Japanese-inspired dining and cocktail destination more than a sushi spot specifically, worth it for the setting and small plates, less so if sushi is the main goal.

Website+61283539788 Directions

level 5/388 George St, Sydney NSW 2000

Dopa Donburi and Dessert - Regent Place logo
#4🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Dopa Donburi and Dessert - Regent Place

4.51,271 Google reviews

Dopa Donburi and Dessert runs a casual Japanese rice bowl restaurant across several Sydney locations, including this one at Regent Place, built around donburi rather than sushi, according to its own site. One reviewer's complaint about a small toothfish dish suggests some raw-fish items appear on the menu, but the restaurant's core identity is rice bowls, not a sushi counter.

What people praise

  • The wagyu don and karaage don are specifically praised as standout dishes by repeat customers
  • Reviewers describe generous, filling portions at accessible prices
  • Staff response to a fish-bone incident is described as proactive and professional
  • The order-and-pickup counter system is praised for speed at lunch

Worth knowing

  • Worth knowing: one reviewer felt a premium toothfish dish was overpriced for the portion size, ask about pricing on specialty items before ordering
Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney
Rating4.5 / 5
Review volume1,271 · 88th
Confidencehigh
Recency2 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown75% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: It ranks fourth here mainly because donburi, not sushi, is the actual specialty, still a strong, well-reviewed Japanese restaurant on its own terms.

Website+61292675775 Directions

Lot 50a - 51, Level 9, Regent Place, 501 George St, Sydney NSW 2000

UMAYA World Square logo
#5🕑 Open 7 days

UMAYA World Square

4.51,143 Google reviews

UMAYA World Square runs a Japanese restaurant near World Square offering ramen, sukiyaki, crispy chicken rolls, and beef tataki, without a public website to confirm menu specifics beyond what's covered in reviews. Reviews describe a fairly typical contemporary Japanese menu rather than a sushi-bar format, wagyu ramen and sukiyaki get called out as the standout dishes, not raw fish.

What people praise

  • Wagyu beef ramen singled out repeatedly as the standout dish
  • The sukiyaki broth is specifically praised for balance
  • Generous portions at reasonable prices noted by several reviewers
  • Attentive service noted even during busy periods

Worth knowing

  • Worth knowing: at least one detailed review describes a slow, understaffed dinner service on a particularly busy night, worth checking for peak-time waits
Reputation scorecardrank in Sydney
Rating4.5 / 5
Review volume1,143 · 73th
Confidencehigh
Recency4 weeks ago
Info completenessphone · hours
Rating breakdown78% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: It closes out this list on review volume rather than any sushi specialty, a solid contemporary Japanese restaurant, just not a sushi destination specifically.

+61292863009 Directions

99 Liverpool St, Sydney NSW 2000

6

Your business here

Get listed on this page, in front of local customers already searching for you.

Claim this spot ›

Watch: 5 Best Sushi in Sydney (2026)

How we scored these Japanese restaurants

Rating is each restaurant’s live Google average. Review volume shows how many diners actually left a review; more reviews generally means a more reliable average. Confidence combines both, rewarding a strong rating backed by real volume over one built on a handful of visits. Recency checks how recently people were still reviewing. None of these numbers can be bought or adjusted by the restaurant.

How much does dinner cost at these Sydney Japanese restaurants? (2026)

Reviewer-reported spend varies widely across this list, from casual lunch sets under $40 a head to $200-plus per person at Aori’s dinner service. Menu pricing changes often enough that we’d rather point you to the current menu than quote a number that goes stale by the time you visit.

Japanese dining across central Sydney

These five sit within or near the CBD, from King Street Wharf and Pitt Street to George Street and World Square, so wherever you’re searching from in central Sydney, at least one is a short walk away.

What to ask before booking a Japanese restaurant for sushi

  • Does the menu actually include sashimi and nigiri, or mostly cooked dishes?
  • Is a reservation required, or can I walk in for the time I want?
  • What’s the average spend per person for the style of meal I want?
  • Are there halal, vegetarian, or allergy-friendly options if my group needs them?
  • Is the venue indoor, rooftop, or a mix, if setting matters for my booking?

Frequently asked questions

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from public Google data, ratings and review volume. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner, which adds a badge and top placement, but that never changes another business’s score or position.

Are all five of these actually sushi restaurants?

No, and we’re not going to pretend otherwise. Aori is the only one whose own site names sushi directly; the rest are ramen, donburi, rooftop dining, or a general Japanese restaurant that surfaced for the same search.

How did you choose these five?

We pulled the businesses currently ranking for sushi searches in Sydney and compared them on rating, review volume, and recency, then read the review text closely rather than trusting the search term alone.

How often is this updated?

We last verified this data in July 2026, ratings, review counts, and menus change, so treat this as a snapshot rather than a permanent ranking.

Where’s the closest thing to a real sushi omakase on this list?

Aori is the closest, its own site names sushi directly alongside its grill and sake program. None of the five run a dedicated sushi-bar format.

The bottom line

If sushi specifically is the goal, Aori is the closest match here, the only one that names it directly on its own site. The other four are worth visiting on their own terms, ramen, donburi, or rooftop dining, just don’t go in expecting a sushi bar.

Own one of these businesses, or want to be here?

Claim your spot on this page: Basic listing $50 or Premium $100 for the top spot, held a full year. Both include a permanent link to your site.

Get listed See pricing